Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I know, the last few posts of mine (frankly, most of my posts on here) have not been really exceptional. Looking over what I have posted may make you laugh, and it may make you just bust out loudly. However, it's not going to make you think it's really worth your time to keep reading this blog. I realize that, and I apologize. I originally came into this whole blogging world and thought it would be easy to contribute meaningful posts. I thought that I wouldn't be among the many that just place stuff down that's a bunch of snide comments on other people's stuff. I thought I had something great.

But reality has hit. I realize that I am not much different from the many people out there who waste their time blogging. It's the usual: at first there's a torrent of posts, some with some virtue. Then, as time moves along, the posts, albeit still meaningful, start to dwindle in numbers. By the way, there are only three words that start with dw - dwell, dwindle, and dwarf. That's of course, ignoring the derivatives from them (ex.dwelling).

Then, all of the sudden, in this natural progression of hobbies, there comes a silence. First a week, then two. Before anyone realizes it, it is forgotten. There are exceptions to this, for sure. There are those who will acknowledge the lapse, and then be reinvigorated for a time. These people eventually fade as well.

I am afraid that I have been nearing this line for some time now. Real life is almost always the culprit of why I have not been properly maintaining this blog. The on-going quest to find a home has taxed my wife and I to no end. An increase in work load has also limited my accessibility to the site. Yet, these are really just excuses. They are things that face all people and it is only by sheer determination to produce can one overcome.

I am now facing that moment. I am at the wall, and I must overcome it if I expect to continue the blog with some dignity. Otherwise, it's purpose is meaningless. There's nothing worse than being meaningless. Now, I know, this may sound like I have some kind of lofty purpose in mind for my blog, but do not mistake my thoughts. I know that I may never reach a large audience with my poetry and writing. I know that many people may not read this blog. However, in order for me to carry on I feel that I do need to stick to the topic I had intended as my purpose: writing.

So, I now pledge to make sure that this blog remains devoted to writing and its many aspects. On a side note, I will keep doing the Flippant Fridays...they are fun and that's good to have in life. But on the whole, I will make a renewed push to write about poetry, novels, short stories, and so on so that I provide for this blog a sense of purpose. I hope people will read and enjoy.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Not to me, or cause seeking a monetary amount. What I call for is your blood! About two years ago, I decided to give blood regularly, or as much as I could remember to do. So far, I have given over a half gallon of blood! A nice thought to think of as you're pouring out your milk...

Anyway, I am a real believer in it, and when I received the following in an email from my local org., I thought it would be worthy to pass on:

A quick look at the numbers will tell you why we value our life-saving blood donors.

5 Percentage of eligible Americans who give blood each year.

550 Minimum number of units the Indiana Blood Center must collect daily to maintain an adequate blood supply for over 60 hospitals across the state.

200 Volume, in units, of blood necessary on-hand during an organ transplant.

12 Volume, in pints, of blood in an adult male. Adult females have 9 pints.

1 Approximate volume, in pints, of the average blood donation.

The need for donors has increased, due in part to the aging population and greater restrictions on donors, leaving blood centers periodically at risk for or in shortage. If you think you aren't able to or have made some excuse in the past, think of this: if you were to go to the hospital for a life saving transplant/procedure, would you want to be the one who's shorted on the supply? If you can, please give!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Wow, this week has flown by! Got my poem finished up and sent off and approved (good grammar huh?), so I'm super stoked about that! I was busy throughout most of the days and nights... I barely even wrote at all. So, here I looked down at the computer clock/date and see that it's Friday again. Not only that, it's another Flippant Friday and I haven't really prepared for it!!!

As a way to avoid having to come up with nothing for my lack of preparation, I have included this video below of the sad doggy named Bizkit. He has the very funny habit of sleep running, and barking too! I'm not joking, he's beyond words:

And if that wasn't enough for you, here's him running and making the big mistake of getting up while still sleep running!

Friday, February 5, 2010

I thought I would swerve a bit from the normal posts and create something I will call "Flippant Fridays." I think it would be a fun way to attach things that I'm reading or watching on the Internet - because I do a lot of that during my day - and share with anyone who wants to read/watch. I will try to keep these posts funny, but then again, they may not always be as well.

So for the first Flippant Friday, I thought I would throw away what I just said about contributing funny things and go serious for a moment. I am a big fanatical teeth brusher, and feel that everyone should be like me. Not only does being fanatical about teeth brushing (at least twice a day!!) - and more importantly flossing every day!! - it keeps you healthy and happy. I brush my teeth twice a day on average for about 2 minutes or more. I kid you not!

I am part of the Humana insurance group, which I am not endorsing by saying that, and they have a newsletter sent out every month. They had a section on the health benefits of a healthy mouth. Here's one big fact I'd like to point out: "More than 90% of diseases can show up in your mouth first." And another quote: "Good dental care – and keeping your gums free of disease – can lead to savings on dental costs and medical care. One study in the Journal of Periodontology showed healthcare costs over time were 21% higher for patients with severe gum disease than for those without gum problems." For a link to the article, go here: http://www.humana.com/members/health/plan_professor/2_10_smile.asp

Ok, so the last quote might be only causal evidence (the people might have bad lifestyles all around and that's why their costs are 21% higher), but it still makes my point that we all need to take good care of our mouths! And one more final anecdotal evidence - I am neurotic about mouth care, and I have only had one cavity in my life. Sure, genetics may be on my side, but then again, I'm the only one who's had the least amount of trouble with their mouth....besides maybe the trouble it can get you in, but that's another story!

Anyway, to that's a bit of a soapbox speech for you, so I'll end the first Flippant Friday on a funny note.... a commercial that I think is classic. Since it's Super Bowl time, and the Colts are in the game, to show some love I will put up a Bud Light commercial.....what can be more related to football than that?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

So, after hearing back for the editor of Words on the Go, I have finalized my poem "The Sneeze Unsavored" and have submitted it back. Hopefully, there will be nothing but approval and then I will just have to bide my time until April comes along. Even then, since the buses are up in Lafayette, I'm not going to be able to have much of a chance to see it.

Unless, of course I randomly drive up there to hop onto different buses until I find one that's featuring my poem. If you remember, there's six writers who have their works being put up on the buses - two works per bus. My guess, is that unless I'm lucky off the bat, I'll have to ride a bunch of buses in order to catch my poem in action. At my current level of excitement, I very well might do just that!

So, for all of the readers out there from the Lafayette area (I always laugh putting that down because no one reads this!! ) who ride the bus, let me know what you think!

Monday, February 1, 2010

This is not ground-breaking publication or anything of the sort, but I have an accepted poem that will be part of the "Words on the Go" program for CityBus of Lafayette, IN. It is a bi-annual publication of local poets/authors that picks six pieces to be displayed on transit buses for a six-month time span.

My piece is entitle "The Sneeze Unsavored," which had a version of it posted on this blog back in October 2009. This is the first time I have ever submitted a piece for publication, so I am very excited it was accepted. Granted, it is for transit buses that most people will not probably care to read. However, I think it's cool that my stuff is getting out there finally and that people will be able to read it!

I will repost the poem once it is in its finalized version and off and riding on the buses!